Method of throwing silk



y 1 1938. M. A. SALEMBIER, JR 2,123,970

METHOD OF THROWING SILK INVENTO Patented July 19, I938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF THROWING SILK Maurice Albert Salembier, Jr., Plandome, N. Y. Application May 13, 1935, Serial No. 21,079

6 Claims. (01. 117-21) This invention relates to a new and improved method of silk throwing and more particularly to an improved method of producing a continuous multiple strand silk thread.

The art of silk throwing includes the steps of winding, doubling, twisting and usually, coning, to form a suitable silk thread from raw skein silk. Of these operations, certain ones, particularly doubling, have been the source of multiple strand knots which are highly objectionable not only in waste of material and delay in throwing, but they are especially objectionable in the final product and its uses.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide an improved method of throwing silk yarn by which I produce continuous lengths of silk yarn of multiple strand type having knots common to all strands, my method includ- 7 ing the step of tying single strand knots in case of breaks or runouts in the separate strands.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved method of throwing silk which includes the steps of stopping multiple strand thread in the doubling machine prior to the point of doubling or twisting, in case of a single strand break, and tying the single strand to its appropriate supply without destroying the continuity of, the other strands.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved method of throwing silk to form a multiple strand thread by winding multiple'strands from a plurality of separate strand bobbins which includes the step of stopping the thread between the creel and point of twist if a strand breaks, tying a single end knot in the broken strand without drawing the completed thread back off the receiving bobbin and subsequently uniformly tensioning and twisting the knotted and unknotted strands.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved method of throwing natural silk to form a continuous multiple strand, multiple twist thread having uniform texture and no knots common to all strands in packages of the order of six ounces or larger which comprises the steps of winding single strand bobbins having a length approximately equal to the length of the single strands in the final package, feeding multiple strands from a plurality of such bobbins to a single receiving bobbin to form a. doubled thread, stopping said feed, if a single strand breaks, before the broken strand reaches a point of doubling or twisting, tying a single strand knot in the broken strand and the single-strand from the winding bobbin, twisting the knotted and unknotted strands, and transferring asingle bobbin of twisted and doubled thread to fill a single. final package.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear fromthe following description thereof, taken in conjunction with the attached drawing which is a diagrammatic elevational view of certain parts of a throwing machine on which my new process may be carried out.

One of the principal sources of knots common to all strands in a multiple strand thread is in the step of doubling or forming the multiple strand thread having two or more strands from a plurality of the single strands. Doubling is not limited to two strand thread but is used in its commercial sense of forming multiple strand thread of any desired number of strands. This operation is commonly performed on a combined doubler-twister type of machine which forms and winds the multiple strands and at the same time gives the multiple strands a certain predeter mined twist. Such machines are especially suitable for throwing silk yarn for hosiery tram as such product is a multiple strand thread commonly having relatively few turns per lineal inch. Such machines are also frequently used in the preliminary steps of forming other threads such as crepes, etc., which although of a higher twist, are initially formed into multiple strands on the doubler-twister type of machine and subsequently given a final twist on a twister.

I have diagrammatically shown parts of a doubler-twister type of machine to better illustrate the steps of my improved process of throwing silk yarn, although I am not limited to such machines as my process can be carried out on any type machine adapted to form multiple strand thread. In general such machines have a creel or pin rail I0 which is provided with a number of pins H to support the desired number of single strand bobbins l2. It is, of course, to be understood that different types .of thread require a different number of strands, hosiery tram, for example, varying from two to twelve or more depending on whether used for sheer or service weight hosiery, and for leg or welt or foot portions.

Considering as a special example, throwing of a four strand, low twist thread, four single end yarn bobbins I2 are placed on the respective pins 4 l and the separate ends a, b, c and d are drawn through the eyes .of the individual drop arms l4, and then the separate strands are gathered by the gathering eye l6. The single thread then usually passes around certain feed rolls l8 or other tensioning devices, through guide eye l9 and then to the receiver bobbin 2!], through the guide eye 22 on the traverse or ring rail 24.

As is well known, the receiving bobbin 20 is rotated at a desired speed to properly wind the doubled multiple strand thread and the feed rolls I8 which are driven at a predetermined speed relative to that at which the receiver bobbins are operated act as take up rolls or tension devices. The feed rolls I8 in this type of machine determine the amount of tension on the doubled thread and the relative rate of rotation of the feed rolls I8 and the receiver bobbin 20 determines the number of twists the thread is given per inch.

I do not show in detail'the operation of the stop mechanism, but it will be understood that a suitable stop mechanism is placed in operation to stop the feed rolls I8 and the receiving bobbin 20 by the dropping of a drop arm I4 due to run out or exhaustion of the supply on a bobbin I2, or due to waste or other matter catching in the eyes of the drop arm I4 which breaks a strand. It will be clear that a break or run-outin the strand will occur between the bobbins on the creel or pin rail I0 and the eye of the drop arms I4. As illustrative of the operation of my device, I have shown one of the strands a of the thread broken and the appropriate drop arm in stopping position,

It is necessary in. forming multiple strand thread to. always have the same number of strands in the thread at every point as less than the full number of strands would cause a rejection of the yarn as totally defective. A lesser number of strands was frequently partially wound on the receiving bobbin however as the thread passes so rapidly (receiving bobbins frequently run 4500 revolutions per minute) that even if the drop eyes operated the usual stop mechanism, it would still not prevent some of the lesser number of strands from passing through the guide eyes and on into the receiving bobbin. It has been the practice of throwsters to sever all the unbroken strands when one strand broke, the

operators either breaking all the other strands by hand, or automatically operated means connected to the stop motion mechanism were provided to accomplish this result. Some of the wound thread was then drawn back from the receiving bobbin until the operator found the desired number of thread strands after which a knot common to all strands was tied, the knot trimmed, and the trimmings and slack discarded to waste. The thread drawn back from the bobbin and trimming of the knots was a source of considerable waste, and the knot was highly objectionable.

In accordance with my improved method of throwing silk and in operating the machinery used for forming silk thread, I find that I can eliminate a substantial amount of waste heretofore occasioned in tying multiple strand knots and avoid the delay due to drawing of thread back from the receiving bobbin. I also provide a superior product which has no knots common to all strands and which is therefore a far superior product to that heretofore produced. As one step of my improved method of throwing silk, I stop and incomplete thread between the creel and the point of twist so that I can tie a single strand knot without untwisting or drawing the thread.

back from the bobbin. As shown in the drawing, this region of separated strands is generally indicated at 25. Stopping the thread in this space -may be accomplished by various different forms of machinery, it being essential, however, that in case of a broken strand, the receiving bobbin and feed rolls stop before the point of break in the strand becomes twisted in other portions of the thread. 1

As a second step in my improved method of throwing silk, I then tie a knot such as 28 in the broken strand only, so that the l mot is adjacent continuous portions of the unbroken strands and is therefore relatively small in comparison with a knot common to all strands. In the subsequent twist generally given the thread the single strand knot blends in and becomes almost totally invisible. I find that the single strand knots will pass practically all knot detectors, carriers or needles which will pass the majority of the unknotted thread.

Inasmuch as I stop the thread prior to the point at which the broken strand becomes twisted with the unbroken strands, it is unnecessary to draw any wound thread back from the receivends are present in the'thread.

After the knot is tied in the broken strand, the spindle is restarted and as the knot is between the single strand bobbins l2 and the feed rolls I8 the tensioning of the knotted and unknotted strands will be uniform. Uniform tensioning improves the elasticity of the thread which is'of major importance in many products such as hosiery which require a high elasticity characteristic.

As a further step in my improved process I fill each receiving bobbin 20 with an amount of continuous doubled thread sufficient to completely fill the final package whether it be a cone or of other type. Coning from bobbins having full equivalent amounts of yarn saves a substantial amount of time and eliminates the usual knots and variable tension in the coning of three ounce and larger packages. 'I'he' elimination of knots is also very important in coning because it often happens that different bobbins will have slightly different types of thread as hereinafter described and. I entirely avoid such difficulties.

Although I am not so limited, I also find it highly desirable to use single end bobbins having a continuous single strand equal in length to the single strands of the desired final package. By this I mean that I provide a single end bobbin which will not run out in forming the desired receiving bobbin. 20 of the double thread. I also use bobbins in the other machines including twisters, etc., which will hold the entire supply for the finished package. Although this has been practiced to some extent in making smaller packages of silk, it has been customary in making packages of three ounces and over and especially, the eight ounce package to use the customary small bobbins which required joining different lots of thread. I avoid this entirely by forming a continuous strand of twenty thousand yards or more in which some thread strands are continuous at every point.

Tying of single strand knots makes it unnecessary to carry out the usual redraw operation addition, spool for spool transfers of large package quantities from doubler-twister to twisting machines and from the twisting machinesto the coning machine is especially beneficial with high twist threads such as crepe, inasmuch as there can be no slack twist which formerly required the loss of several yards of material at each knot. With single strand knots the twist is continuous and redrawing being eliminated there is a much higher percentage of thread available for coming or other packaging.

Ordinarily there is no other knot or break at the same point, although it is to be understood that single end bobbins usually carry yarn which has been knotted in one or more places, and it is possible that a winding knot, for example, may occur at a point adjacent a new break during the doubling operation. While I prefer not to tie other than single thread knots, I find that if not more than two-thirds of the strands of four strand thread or greater are tied together atany one point, this may not be objectionable from the standpoint of future use of the double thread. In a four strand thread, for example, I have tied a knot common to two strands and in a five strand thread, I have tied a knot common to as many as three strands without objection. Tying more than this frequently causes subsequent difliculty and is to be avoided.

I find that my improved method of silk throw ing saves a very substantial amount of the total throwing costs, reduces labor and machine costs and brings about a very substantial saving in waste. Inasmuch as I tie a knot in a single strandonly, there is a saving of at least threefourths that heretofore st in tying knots common to all strands in a four strand thread and there are other savings in time and material by not drawing thread back from the receiving bobbin. The gross saving in waste alone can be reduced more than one-half by my method. of tying knots which represents a very substantial ad'- vantage.

A multiple strand thread having no knots common to all strands is a premium product and highly desired by the using trade. For hosiery tram, it is particularly satisfactory in that as there are no knots common to all strands, pressofis due to the knots catching in the needle or carrier or untying are eliminated, and the final product has none of the knots which were formerly so conspicuous as to cause rejects and reclassification. My available by my improved method of throwing is also especially suitable for hosiery tram as an eight ounce package will make approximately one dozen pairs of hosiery leg portions, depending on the denier and strands of the thread and with no common knots, I can eliminate the losses due to the three or four knots which formerly existed in this size package.

Furthermore, having no knots common to all strands there is no opportunity of joining mismated threads. As is well known, threads of the same denier size classification are not uniform in diameter and the variation is such that in certain woven cloths as well as in some knitted products the change in tint, diameter and nature maybe very conspicuous and highly objectionable. This is especially noticeable during subsequent dyeing. There is no point in, my thread at which there is less than one continuous strand and preferably only one strand is knotted at any one point so that any difiiculty due to the possible variation in joining threads larger package product from different bobbins is entirely eliminated. I also avoid hidden knots in the coning operation and prevent unravelling or catching of thread bunches due to knots accidentally occurring on the side of the cone which commonly causes considerable difiiculty in the using machine during knitting, weaving, etc.

I have referred to my method of throwing as relating to silk and I mean by that, natural silk which is well known to be a relatively small size fiber although varying in denier, such silk being elastic, relatively strong and commonly formed into amultiple strand thread to form a suitable product. There are other fibers, however, such as artificial silk, to which my invention is applicable where such fibers have similar characteristics of elas- I ticity, strength, sizeand necessity of doubling.

While I have described a preferred form of embodiment of my invention, I am aware that other modifications may be made thereto and I therefore desire a broad interpretation of my invention within the scope and spirit of the description herein and of the claims appended hereinafter.

I claim: l. The method of producing a natural silk yar having a continuous length of at least twenty thousand yards which comprises the step of winding a continuous length of a single strand of at least twenty thousand yards, subsequently forming multiple strands on a spool adapted to contain twenty thousand yards of the multiple strand thread, and tying single strand knots at single strand breaks prior to the formation of the multiple strand thread.

ently of other strands, twisting the tied and continuous strands, winding a single bobbin with a continuous thread of the desired length, subsequently setting the twist in said thread and finally making a complete spool for spool transfer of said thread to form a final package.

3. The method of making a continuous multiple strand natural silk organzine yarn of a length equivalent to an. eight ounce mass and having in the range of two to twelve strands of ten to twenty denier which includes the simultaneous doubling and twisting of a plurality of silk strands into a single yarn on a doublertwister machine, tying single strand knots in a broken strand in case of a break or run-out, uniformly tensioning the broken and unbroken strands, subsequently uniformly twisting the multiple strand yarn from end to end after the single strandknots have been tied and finally setting the twist of the yarn.

4. The method of producing a natural silk yarn having a continuous length of at least twenty thousand yards which comprises the step of winding a plurality of continuous lengths of single strands of at least twenty thousand yards, subsequently doubling and twisting said single strands and winding said strands on a spool adapted to contain twenty thousand yards of the multiple strand thread, tying single strand knots during the doubling-twistingoperation at single strand breaks, and subsequently making complete spool for spool transfer of the yarn in further throwing steps.

knots in said separate strands in case of a break.

or run-out, winding said multiple strand yarn on a single spool adapted to contain all of the yarn of the final package, transferring said yarn completely from one spool to another in a twisting machine and twisting said yarn during the transfer and subsequently packaging said twisted yarn by completely transferring the twisted yarn to a package containing the entire spool of twisted yarn.

6. The method of throwing natural silk which comprises feeding from each of a plurality of single end bobbins, a single strand equal in length to the strand of the final package, tying single strand knots at a break or run-out to maintain the continuity and independence of the strand, twisting the knotted and unknotted strands under uniform tension, winding the twisted and doubled thread on a receiving bobbin and subsequently forming a full package from thesingle receiving bobbin in spool for spool transfer.

MAURICE A. SALEMIBIER, JR. 

